In European patent application no. 0 237 120 spreads comprising less than 35 wt. % fat and a gel-forming aqueous phase having a relatively high viscosity are described. These spreads are prepared by admixing the aqueous phase and fat phase at a temperature of 60.degree. or 70.degree. C. and further processing the emulsion so obtained through two cooled C-units or alternatively through a sequence of two cooled A-units followed by a high shear mixer European patent application no. 0 237 120 furthermore describes very low fat spreads containing substantial amounts of iota- or kappa-carrageenan.
European patent application 0 279 499 describes edible fat-continuous dispersions having a fat content of less than 30% by weight and containing an aqueous phase having a viscosity of less than 400 mPa.s at 35.degree. C. and a shear rate of 1000 s-.sup.-1 and containing less than 200 ppm amino acid residues, calculated on the weight of the aqueous phase.